You Pick the Performance with the 'Rite' Stuff

Wednesday, May 29, 2013

One hundred years ago today, Igor Stravinsky’s The Rite of Spring premiered at the Théatre des Champs-Elysées in Paris. Today's Showdown celebrates this tremendous moment in classical music history.

We asked you which one of these three great performances of Stravinsky's seminal work you'd like to hear and you chose a 1951 recording by the Boston Symphony with conductor Pierre Monteux, who conducted the 1913 premiere.

The Ancerl/Czech Philharmonic recording abounds with incisive rhythms, impeccable textural contouring, and amazingly characterful timbres from first desk soloists and orchestral sections alike. For modern sound and world-class orchestral standards, the Yoel Levi/Atlanta Symphony version still stands as a version of reference.

I'm with Bernie from UWS -- I would love to hear more Stravinsky on QXR. I'm eating my lunch at my desk and really enjoying listening now. Haven't heard it in awhile and it is still exciting and easy to imagine the riotous reaction all those years ago. Please also play a Soldier's Tale.......To each his own........

I agree, Peter, we usually are in synch, but I guess not this time! It's good that we all have different tastes in music, otherwise it would be pretty boring - and thanks, Jessica, I will enjoy my lunch; enjoy Rite of Spring!

One more vote for Monteux. What would be really great would be for you (QXR) to play it on an LP, but you probably threw them all out, along with the turntables (unlike WKCR, which recognizes their value).

On this one, I disagree with Carol Luparella, with whom i usually seem to be in synch on here.

I too voted for the Monteux, as I would like to hear the man behind the performance that started it all.

And Carol Luparella, just because Q2 is devoting today to the Rite doesn't mean WQXR itself shouldn't play it ONCE on the 100th anniversary of its watershed premiere. Not everyone listens on the Internet, and not everyone shares your distaste for the piece. Enjoy your lunch.

Enough with "Rite of Spring" already! You've got it continuously playing on Q2 today, so for those who want to hear it, they can listen to it as much as they want. You seem to think that everyone is so enthralled with this piece, but I'm sure there are many of us who are not. I actually find it rather irritating, and so at Noon I am going to enjoy the "Rite of Lunch"!

I voted for Leonard Bernstein because I have a soft spot in my heart for him... he was the first conductor I ever saw conduct anything. But I would dearly love to hear all three recordings. Any chance the two that don't win could be worked into the play list very soon?

I voted for the Monteux because he conducted the premier and was closest to the composer's wishes. Suppose Boychick Bernstein will get the most votes. We so love Dear Lenny when he does his little dance on the podium.